Pediatric RSV Cases Surge Post—COVID-19
Conexiant
June 24, 2024
During the 2022-2023 respiratory syncytial virus season, pediatric hospitalizations increased by 86.7%, with a significant rise in the need for advanced respiratory support. Affected children presented at an older median age (11.3 months post-pandemic vs. 6.8 months pre-pandemic) and with fewer comorbidities (17.6% vs. 21.8%) compared to pre-pandemic seasons.
A cross-sectional study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations and respiratory support requirements from 2017 to 2023. The study cohort comprised 288,816 children aged 5 years or younger from 48 U.S. pediatric hospitals. Researchers used data from the Pediatric Health Information System to compare RSV seasons before (2017-2020) and after (2022-2023) the pandemic.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, evaluated emergency department presentations, hospital and intensive care unit admissions, respiratory support modalities, and clinical outcomes. Data were extracted using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes for RSV infection, and included variables such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, and presence of complex chronic conditions. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare post-pandemic data with pre-pandemic averages.
During the 2022-2023 RSV season, there was a 70% increase in the number of children requiring advanced respiratory support compared to pre-pandemic seasons. There was also an increase in the use of advanced respiratory support, particularly high-flow nasal cannula and noninvasive ventilation.
This study observed a post-pandemic increase in pediatric RSV cases, resulting in higher hospital volumes and greater needs for advanced respiratory support in older children with fewer comorbidities than in pre-pandemic seasons. These findings may inform vaccine allocation strategies to better manage the burden in future RSV seasons.
The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.
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